Winter Storm, Buffalo Snow and Flight Cancellation News

A traveler checks a message board showing flight cancellations and delays at Detroit's Wayne County Metropolitan Airport on Saturday.
A traveler checks a message board showing flight cancellations and delays at Detroit’s Wayne County Metropolitan Airport on Saturday. (Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images)

2022 has been a difficult journey for many air travelers. This year has been as difficult as the next after a massive winter storm affected much of the country.

So what if you’re one of the unlucky passengers whose flight was canceled or delayed?

Here are some suggestions:

Avoid flying in bad weather altogether. Scott Keyes, founder of Scott’s Cheap Flights, recommends using the occasional waiver airlines offer to change flights for free when you know a major weather event is forecast.

Avoid getting stuck at the airport. Check your flight status before heading to the airport, sign up for the airline’s free text alerts and check out the website FlightAware to track larger flight trends across the country, Keith suggests.

communicate with. In the event of delays and cancellations after you arrive at the airport, Case recommends that you go to the airline agency as soon as possible. Then you might want to call your carrier while you wait, or get through to an international call center, he said. You can also use self-service kiosks, according to American Airlines.

Attitude and research matter. Talking to a surrogate with kindness and empathy can go a long way, Keyes said. PIRG of America, a consumer advocacy group, advises that passengers should be prepared to explain what you want and work tirelessly to get the issue resolved.

Other airlines may be able to help. Cooperation between airlines may work to your advantage. Some airlines can fly you on another airline because of interline agreements, Lawson Smith of Scott Cheap Flights told CNN Travel.

Consider purchasing travel insurance. According to Airport Parking Reservations, many travel insurance policies provide additional coverage in the event of flight delays and cancellations. The site also recommends that you keep receipts for all airport purchases, as you can try to get the money back from the airline later.

View refund rights. The U.S. Department of Transportation says you are entitled to a refund of the cost of your airfare if you choose not to travel because of a cancellation or “substantial delay.”

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